Since January, 1998, The Animation Academy in Burbank has helped transform people's lives.

Our program, which currently focuses on Character Design, Background Design, Visual Development, Concept Design, Intellectual Property Development and Storyboarding, is rooted in fundamentals. Our students excel in these areas. Many of them have gone on to outstanding careers in animation.

We're closely associated with California State University in Northridge and operate in conjunction with their own animation program.

Our students are a mix of working professionals, students from other schools, students preparing themselves for enrollment in degree granting institutions and artists looking to break into the industry. Our classes are very affordable and the community we've developed is positive, supportive and as creative as they come.

The next opportunity to enroll is this coming September 7. Visit our website or call 818-848-6590 for more info. If you have problems with some of the pages on our site, it's because we're in the process of switching to a new hosting company, so please feel free to contact us directly.

One of the key aspects of The Animation Academy has been the quality of our program and the great improvement our students see in their work in a short period of time.

In consideration of the reasonable class fee that's charged, the Academy's program ranks as one of the very best values per educational dollars spent when it comes to the subjects we offer.

I've been holding the line with class fees for several years, but we're going to raise our prices soon. Very likely by the semester that starts January, 2011. So if you're looking to enroll at the Academy and you've been putting it off, consider getting in our program before the price increase takes effect.

We're working towards expanding our program as well. Currently we're fielding classes one evening per week. This has been a temporary situation for us ever since we successfully convinced the Burbank City Council to approve a development that was going to be our future home. A couple of years ago, when the economy soured, the developer we were working with went bankrupt and the plans for the new complex fell through. So now we're looking to move forward on our own.

My plan is to offer Thursday evening sessions in conjunction with our Tuesday evening classes and go from there. More news will be forthcoming as things develop.

If you're looking for classes that build a solid foundation for your animation career, training in Character Design, Background Design, Visual Development, Storyboarding and more, consider enrolling with The Animation Academy. Many artists throughout the industry have been with us and the experience has made all the difference in their careers.